17 



3, Impbyan Pheasant. Lopkophorus refulgens. 



Six eggs laid by this noble species, in the Collection of 

 Her Majesty the Queen, at Buckingham Palace, having 

 been entrusted to the Superintendent, were placed by him 

 under a Bantam, and two birds hatched out successfully. 



These birds M'ere allowed to run at large during the 

 summer in a part of the Garden to which the pubhc were 

 not admitted; were successfully reared; lived during the 

 winter in a very slight shed, having access to the open air 

 every day, even while snow was on the ground ; and were 

 finally removed to Her Majesty's possession in the most 

 beautiful health and vigour about the middle of the 

 current month. 



As these birds are the produce of birds formerly bred 

 and reared at Knowsley, under the same management, and 

 as they evince every prospect of perpetuation, there can 

 be no doubt that, under ordinarily favoiu-able circumstances, 

 this, the most brilliant of the indigenous Game Birds of 

 the temperate zone of the Himalayas, may be certainly 

 established in Europe. 



And, analogically, we cannot refuse our assent to the con- 

 clusion that all the Gallinaceae of that region may be accli- 

 mated here in the same manner, if a sufficient number of 

 pairs are imported in the first instance. 



4. Japan Pheasant. Phasianus versicolor. 



From a pair of this species bred at Knowsley in 1850, 

 the produce of a pure imported male, and a hybrid female 

 of three-quarters blood, ten birds have been reared, six 

 males and four females. 



These birds have every character of the pure species ; and 

 they are perfectly hardy, having passed the winter under 

 the same conditions as the Impeyan Pheasants. 



The whole of the females having already commenced 

 laying, there is no doubt that this species also will be 

 effectually perpetuated, and may now be considered ready 

 to be set at liberty in any suitable locality where they will 

 be secure for a certain period from admixture with the 

 common species. 



As this has already been done on more than one estate 

 with the true Ph. torquatus"^, of which the Society im- 

 ported, bred, and disposed of, the birds which originated 



* Ph. torquatus was bred at Knowsley in 1845, but not established, 

 in consequence of an insufficient supplj' of imported hens. 



B 



